Cotton harvest-aid chemical and application expenses are justified by increased quantity and value of harvested fiber and decreased harvest costs. Chemical use may be restricted in certain production situations. Harvest preparation costs and producer returns were compared for thermal defoliation in organic and chemical harvest aids in conventional Pima cotton using a crop cost and return estimator. A positive return to land and risk can be reached for organic Pima with yields greater than 600 pounds per acre and prices over $2.43 per pound. Thermal defoliation allows early harvest without the chemicals deemed necessary to produce a high-quality conventional crop.